Obituaries

Shirley J. (Joy) Wagner age 77 of Colon passed away, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, at the Battle Creek Health System. Shirley was born June 2, 1932, in Matteson Township, a daughter to the late Winfield and Ifa Jean (Knox) Weinberg. On Nov. 24, 1948, she married R. John Wagner in Coldwater. Shirley had lived most all of her life in …

Ronald Andrew “Ron” Leo, Sr., age 65 of Three Rivers, died Saturday Oct. 31, 2009 at his home. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA on Oct. 5, 1944 and attended schools in the Pittsburg area. Ron was married to Patricia Wightman on June 8, 1966 in Winchester, PA. They moved to the Mendon area in 1966 where Ron worked for …

Barbara E. Monroe, 75, of White Pigeon, Mich., passed away Friday evening, Oct. 30, 2009, at Sturgis Hospital. She was born June 23, 1934, in Philadelphia, Pa., a daughter to the late Charles and Alberta (Taschner) Garton. Barbara had resided in White Pigeon for the past 10 years. Prior to that she lived in Sturgis and her early life was …

J. Harry Eberhard, age 63, of Colon, passed away, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009, at his home. Harry was born July 4, 1946, in Sturgis, a son of David and Martha (Troyer) Eberhard. Harry had served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He had lived most all of his life in St. Joseph County. Harry had worked for 28 …

Al Bronstetter, age 61, of Sturgis, passed away peacefully Friday morning, Oct. 30, 2009, at his home, surrounded by his family following a battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was born June 10, 1948, in Burr Oak, a son of the late Robert and Florence (Fifer) Bronstetter. Al had resided nearly his entire life in the Sturgis and Burr Oak …

Barbara Miller, 58, of Vicksburg, and formerly of Sturgis, passed away Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. Barbara was born Aug. 12, 1951, in Sturgis, a daughter of Samuel and Marion (Partridge) Thompson. On Feb. 19, 1972, she married Stephen Miller. For many years Barb taught at St. Monica’s Catholic Schools in Kalamazoo. She is survived by her husband of 37 years, …

Robert Earl “Sonny” Gentry, age 72 of Mendon, died Thursday Oct. 29, 2009 at his home with family at his side. He was born in Three Rivers on Dec. 12, 1936 the son of the late John Ray and Mary Ovella (Crow) Gentry. Sonny graduated from Mendon High School with the class of 1956, and later served in the U.S. …

Ronald K. Morey, 65, of Klinger Lake, Sturgis, died Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born May 20, 1944, in Detroit, a son of Arlys and Olive (Beach) Morey. He had lived at Klinger Lake since 1983, and had lived in the White Pigeon, Bronson and Burr Oak areas. He was a 1963 graduate of Bronson High …

Helen L. Alexander, age 80, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born Sept. 16, 1929, in Columbia City, Ind., a daughter of the late Thomas and Nancy (Huff) Marker. On July 1, 1967, she married Dwight E. Alexander in LaGrange, Ind. He preceded her in death March 28, 2004. Helen …

Lester Leroy Leister, age 67, of Centreville, passed away Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, at his home following a courageous battle with cancer. He was born Aug. 4, 1942, in Three Rivers, a son of the late Lester E. and Vivian B. (Caseman) Leister. Lester had resided in the Constantine and Centreville area most of his life. He retired from Viking …